


21st Century Breakdown: Musical

by AKM509



Category: Green Day, Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown (Album)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Musicals, Screenplay/Script Format
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-08
Updated: 2017-06-12
Packaged: 2018-11-11 11:10:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11147202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AKM509/pseuds/AKM509
Summary: A musical based off of Green Day's '21st Century Breakdown' album. It uses the songs and characters mentioned in the album.Music credits go to Green Day





	1. Song of the Century / 21st Century Breakdown

**Song of the Century / 21st Century Breakdown**

[Open curtains]

[Light stage right. A radio is sitting on a table. The scene is dark, but appears to be an old, run-down house. The only light is on the radio.]

RADIO: *static*

RADIO: Sing us the song of the century, that's louder than bombs and eternity. The era of static and contraband, leading us into the promised land. Tell us a story that's by candlelight, waging a war and losing the fight. They're playing the song of the century, and it gets lawless in prosperity. Tell me a story into that good night. Sing us a song for me...

RADIO: *static*

[The entire right area of the stage is lit, revealing a single, broken-down room that contains the radio.]

[Enter GLORIA]

GLORIA: (Sets down bag and sits down at the table, shutting off the radio. She sighs.)

GLORIA: Another day in this modern hell... (She stands and walks to the window.)

GLORIA: Born into Nixon, I was raised in hell: a wellfare child where the teamsters dwelled. The last one born, and the first one to run, my town was blind from the refinery sun. My generation is zero, I never made it as a working-class hero. 21st Century Breakdown, I once was lost but never was found. I think I'm losing what's left of my mind, to the 20th century deadline...

[Stage light left. Enter CHRISTIAN.]

CHRISTIAN: (Walks in, drops his bag, and sits.)

CHRISTIAN: I was made of poison and blood. Condemnation is what I understood. Video games 'till the Towers' fall - Homeland Security could kill us all.

BOTH: My generation is zero, I never made it as a working-class hero. 21st century breakdown! I once was lost but never was found. I think I'm losing what's left of my mind to the 20th century deadline...

[Stage light center, revealing a angry crowd.] [Left and right lights dim]

CHRISTIAN: (Exits his house and stands at the edge of the crowd.)

UNKNOWN: We are the class of the class of '13, born in the era of humility! We are the desperate in the decline, raised by the bastards of 1969!

NO ONE: (Makes his way to the front of the crowd, facing the audience.)

NO ONE: My name is No One, the long-lost son, born on the 4th of July! Raised in the era of heroes and cons, who left me for dead or alive! I am a nation: a worker of pride, my debt to the status quo. The scars on my hands are a means to an end - they're all that I have to show! Hey! (Retreats)

ALL: Hey!

CHRISTIAN: (Makes his way to the front of the crowd.)

CHRISTIAN: I swallowed my pride and I choked on my faith, I give it my heart and my soul. I've broken my fingers and lied through my teeth: the pillar of damage control. I get to the edge and I throw my bouquet with flowers left over from praying. I sat in the wedding room wasting my time and waiting for Judgement Day.

ALL: Embrace liberty: the freedom to obey!

CHRISTIAN: It's the song that strangles me. (Pointing at Peacemaker poster) Well don't cross the line!

[The crowd dissipates.]

CHRISTIAN: (Returns inside.)

GLORIA: Oh dream, America, dream. I can't even sleep, from the light's early dawn...

CHRISTIAN: Oh scream, America, scream. Believe what you see from heroes and cons...

CHRISTIAN: (Sits down and puts his head in his hands.)


	2. Know Your Enemy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song 3 of 21st Century Breakdown. Tensions are building in the Underground...

**Know Your Enemy**

NO ONE: (Knocks at CHRISTIAN's front door.)

CHRISTIAN: (Opens door.) Yes?

NO ONE: It's time.

CHRISTIAN: (Nods, then takes a breath as if steeling himself.) Let's go. Come on, through the back. 

[Stage all dark. Change left and center scenes to alley, and and right scene to The Underground*.]

[Stage all light, revealing REBEL LEADER* on a stand and a crowd surrounding them. Enter NO ONE and CHRISTIAN from left side(alley).]

REBEL LEADER: Do you know the enemy? Do you know your enemy? Well gotta know the enemy.

CROWD: Do you know the enemy? Do you know your enemy? Well gotta know the enemy. [CHRISTIAN and NO ONE join the crowd.]

ALL: Do you know the enemy? Do you know your enemy? Well gotta know the enemy!

REBEL LEADER: Violence is an energy against the enemy. Well violence is an energy, bringing on the fury - the choir infantry - revolt against the honor to obey! Overthrow the effigy, the vast majority, we're burning down the foreman of control. Silence is an enemy against your agency so rally up the demons of your soul.

ALL: Do you know the enemy? Do you know your enemy? Well gotta know the enemy. (x2)

REBEL LEADER: The insurgency will rise when the blood's been sacrificed. Dob't be blinded by the loes in your eyes! Say!

[Instrumental]

REBEL LEADER: Well violence is an energy from you to eternity. Well violence is an energy, well silence is the enemy, so give me give me REVOLUTION!

[More instrumental]

ALL (x Instrumentation): Do you know the enemy? Do you know your enemy? Well gotta know the enemy. (x3)

CROWD / REBEL LEADER*: 

Do you know the enemy? Do you know your enemy? Well gotta know the enemy. Do you know the enemy? Do you know your enemy? Well gotta know the enemy. / Overthrow the effigy, the vast majority, we're burning down the foreman of control. Silence is an enemy against your agency, so rally up the demons of your soul.

ALL: HEY!

REBEL LEADER: (To CROWD) You all know your positions and assignments. Tomorrow, we fight! (Joins CROWD)

CROWD: (Cheering, exeunt, revealing GLORIA and ALLISON)

GLORIA and ALLISON: (To stage center, sit down.)

(Stage left and right dark. Change scenes to Gloria's and Christian's houses, respectively.)

ALLISON: Gloria, they're actually going through with this. We have to help!

GLORIA: No! We can't! There'll be too much bloodshed.

ALLISON: It'll be worse if we don't. And, we both know that  _Christian's_ faction is assaulting them head-on. It'll be suicide if we don't lend them people.

GLORIA: (Sighs) You're right. Send out a message - the usual band. We'll get volunteers.

ALLISON: Got it. (Exeunt.)

GLORIA: (Puts her head in her hands.)


	3. ¡Viva la Gloria!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gloria joins the revolution and someone's in love... ;)

**¡Viva la Gloria!**

[Enter CHRISTIAN with a small group]

CHRISTIAN: To revolution!

GROUP: To revolution! (Exeunt, going their separate ways.)

CHRISTIAN: (Sits by GLORIA.) Well, tomorrow's the big day. Is your group in?

GLORIA: Yeah... See you tomorrow, then? (Stands up.)

CHRISTIAN: Sounds good. (Hesitates.) Good night, I guess.

GLORIA: (Laughs.) Good night, Christian. (Exeunt GLORIA.)

(Enter NO ONE.)

NO ONE: Did you tell her?

CHRISTIAN: No... She's got enough to think about as it is. (...)

NO ONE: Last chance. If anything happens...

CHRISTIAN: I know.

NO ONE: (Sighs.) (Exeunt NO ONE.)

CHRISTIAN: Hey Gloria, are you standing close to the edge? Look out on the setting sun, break up your vision. Eternal youth is the landscape of a lie; the cracks in my skin can prove as the years will testify. Say your prayers and light a fire, we're gonna start a war. Your group is a gun for hire - it's what we waited for. Hey Gloria, this is why we're on the edge. The fight of our lives' been drawn in undying love...

CHRISTIAN: (Stands.) Gloria, viva la Gloria! You blast your name in graffiti on the walls. Falling in broken glass and slashing through these spirits, I can hear it like a jilted crowd. Gloria, where are you, Gloria? You found a home in all your scars and ammunition. You made your bed in better days amongst the ruins. Ashes to ashes of our youth. She smashed her knuckles into winter as autumns wind faded into black. She is the saint of all the sinners - the one that's fallen through the cracks. So don't put away, your burning light! Gloria, where are you, Gloria? Don't lose your faith to your lost naivety. Weather the storm and don't look back on last November, when your banners were burning down. Gloria, viva la Gloria! Send me your amnesty down to the broken-hearted. Bring us the season that we always will remember! Don't let the bonfires go out. So Gloria, send out your message of the light that shadows in the night. Gloria, where's your undying love? Tell me the story of your life, your life!

CHRISTIAN: (Enters his house.)


End file.
